Page 112 of New York Love Stories: Vol. 2

She shakes her head. “You know what I mean.”

“I do,” I reply, looking down at our joined hands. “Exactly what you mean.”

Lorie steps onto the sand like it’s her stage. “Although you don’t have the ring yet, you could still propose to our sweet Marlow.”

Taken aback, I stare at Lorie with a different intensity than Tealey was talking about last night.Did she just tell me to propose because she wants me to?

Coming closer again, and with her hands clasped together, her ten-carat diamond sparkles in the sunshine. She adds, “Just a bauble?—”

This needs to stop. It’s gone on too long. “I’ve got it under control, Lorie. You don’t need to worry yourself about it.”

Bob pulls a set of keys from his pocket and dangles them in front of me, like that damn partnership carrot. “We thought keys to the apartment would be the best way to celebrate the engagement.” That’s all Marlow wanted, and it’s being offered on a silver platter. We did it. I glance at Marlow, who’s already looking at me.

I’ve heard that you should never meet your idols. It’s always a disappointment. Same feeling.

Marlow squeals in delight and takes the keys. Guess that phrase only applies to me.

“Do they come with a deed?” Marlow asks, unashamed to dive right in and humor them in the name of owning a piece of Manhattan real estate. Maybe I should be more understanding. I own my building, so I can’t judge her for wanting her slice of the pie.

We played by the rules set forth by her father, which is to win at all costs. So why does this victory feel like a dirty win? Like we didn’t play fair?

He nods with a jolly grin. “They do indeed.”

All eyes are aimed at me, but it’s Bob who comes to stand face-to-face. Keeping his voice lowered, he asks, “Would it be so bad to get engaged today, Rad? To make my girl happy?” He holds out his hand. “You’ve always been the most suitable for my Marlow. Let’s make it official so we can be here to celebrate the happy occasion.”

Being forced to choose between my career and my personal life makes my blood boil.“Enough.”

This has been taken too far.

Holding hands for five minutes, playing a role on a conference call—that’s all different than what I’m now being expected to do. And there’s no mistaking that it’s expected, not being asked.The partnership is yours if you don’t fuck it up,rings in my ears as if Sable himself is right behind me.

Don’t fuck it up.

I got Bob’s business, even if he isn’t divorcing at this time.

Don’t lose his business.

If Marlow and I “get engaged,” how am I supposed to go public with Tealey?

Don’t lose Tealey.

We leave in the morning and return to our lives. The breakup with Marlow doesn’t even have to be a thing. It can be a call Marlow makes on her own at the end of next week.

Marlow and I have more to gain than to lose with the odds stacked in our corner. Tealey will understand. Making partner means more income and Tealey being able to pursue her own dreams, as well as me setting us up to start our lives together, the real ones, not this pretense bullshit.

Stepping into the sand in front of Marlow, I’m one step closer to making my dreams come true.

35

Rad

After being dragged all over the property by Marlow and the Marchés, I’m happy to be locked away in a room with the boys before the wedding begins.

I only caught a glimpse of Tealey from across the lawn this morning when she was helping my mom with the flower arrangements. Not enough to satisfy the craving twisting my gut. But she was stunning even with her hair in rollers and dressed in a robe over workout pants, maybe more so because of how naturally beautiful she is.

A rap on the door sends Jackson to answer it. My mom pokes her head in. “Does anybody need anything?”

Cade and Jackson are good, so she asks me, “Can you spare a minute?”

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